About 6pm on Wednesday, police were called to a shopping centre in Surry Hills where the man was allegedly trying to steal people's wallets.

A female constable and male probationary constable later found a man fitting this description at a reserve in Marriott Street, Redfern.

They checked his details, which revealed he was wanted over an outstanding warrant.

When they told him about the warrant, he became aggressive, police said.

He kicked the male officer in the groin and struck the female officer on the head with a can of butane gas, police said.

The man allegedly ran away along Marriott Street, but the officers chased him and he was caught a short time later.

He was taken to Redfern police station, where he was charged with assaulting police, resist an officer in execution of duty and in relation to the outstanding warrant.

The man, 38, was refused bail, and is due to appear in Central Local Court on Thursday.

The female officer was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she received three stitches to a cut in her head.

Fairfax Media