A woman is facing police assault charges after allegedly throwing a running chainsaw in the direction of officers in Tasmania.

Police said the 24-year-old woman was "verbally abusive and threatening" towards officers after they were called to a disturbance in Claremont, near Hobart, on Sunday.

A police firearm was drawn during the incident which two female officers attended.

Police said the woman repeatedly refused to comply with directions to drop the chainsaw.

After a short standoff, the woman let the chainsaw go and ran from the area.

She was found a short distance away and arrested on two counts of assaulting a police officer.

Sergeant Chris Hey said the disturbance was at the home of a mother and child, and the offender had gone there with the chainsaw in her vehicle.

He said the offender and the victim were known to each other and the child witnessed some of the incident.

"There was an altercation prior to police arriving," he said.

Drawing of weapons 'appropriate'

Sergeant Hey said the police officers involved in the incident responded appropriately by drawing a firearm during the standoff.

"Both the female officers involved in the incident have only been with Tasmania Police for less than three years," Sergeant Hey said.

"The manner in which they performed their duties was nothing short of in a professional manner and outstanding.

"It's situations like this that put police in a vulnerable situation around Australia on a day-to-day basis.

"It was serious enough for police to feel as part of their training that a firearm needed to be drawn."

Sergeant Hey said the woman was intercepted by police on Monday morning for traffic offences, just hours after being released from custody.

The woman received bail and will appear in court at a later date.