The officer was on duty at Oakleigh police station on Thursday night at about 9.50 when a woman in her 50s, of no fixed address, came into the station looking for emergency accommodation.

Senior Sergeant Andrew Stamper from the Monash crime investigation unit, which is based at the station, said the woman became agitated when she learned police were unable to help her because she already had emergency accommodation assigned to her.

Police allege the woman then damaged some cars outside the police station. Police arrested the woman and took her into the station where, they allege, she assaulted the female officer shortly afterwards.

The woman was remanded in custody on Friday and will face court at a later date.