Victoria's police chief Simon Overland has received a reprimand for carrying bullets on a plane even though the serious security breach carries a maximum penalty of seven years jail and a huge fine.
The chief commissioner had accidentally carried a magazine of live ammunition on board a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Canberra on Thursday.
The bullets were not detected as he passed through security screening at Melbourne Airport, but were later discovered in his carry-on bag at Canberra Airport when he tried to board a flight home.
Mr Overland was not arrested, but the matter was investigated by the Office of Transport Security which announced he would be given a letter of reprimand.
"This is consistent with the approach taken where similarly inadvertent incidents have occurred involving police officers," the office said.
The offence can carry a $110,000 fine and a seven-year jail term under the Civil Aviation Act's regulations on dangerous goods.
The head of the police union says most people would be "slapped in handcuffs" if they were caught carrying bullets on a plane.
"Obviously, it's a genuine mistake," Police Association secretary Senior Sergeant Greg Davies told AAP on Friday.
"Due process should take its course, but Mr Overland would be the first to say there should be one rule for everyone."
Aviation experts say having bullets slip through security screenings shows passenger safety has been compromised.
"Whether it is you, me or the police commissioner, it is a serious breach," said Michael Carmody, an aviation security expert and former head of security with the Federal Airports Corporation.
"My concern is how that breach could occur. This is the essential component of a weapon and it's somehow been moved through a screening point onto a flight. How could this happen?"
The private security company in charge of the screening, MSS Security, refused to comment on how bullets could pass through its X-ray machines, metal detectors and security officers.
While Mr Overland escaped with a reprimand, the MSS officer who failed to notice the bullets during screening has been stood down and will be retrained before being allowed to work again.
Qantas spokeswoman Sophia Connelly said the company did not believe the incident posed a specific security risk but would investigate how it happened.
Mr Overland refused to comment on Friday, but Victoria Police issued a statement in which he admitted his mistake, saying it was a genuine oversight.
"The chief commissioner carries a firearm for security reasons and whilst he had removed the firearm from his bag prior to travel yesterday, he overlooked removing the magazine," the statement said.
It's not known when the chief commissioner started carrying a firearm, but it was revealed last year his aide had been given a Glock 9mm handgun because Mr Overland was considered a potential target.
No specific threat has been made, but Mr Overland is a former high-ranking member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and head of Victoria's anti-gang Purana Taskforce - making him a public figure that put dozens of the state's worst criminals behind bars.
Sen Sgt Davies said he's never known a commissioner to carry a hand gun.
"I can honestly say I can't recall any commissioner of any rank carrying one," he said.
Victoria's police corruption watchdog, the Office of Police Integrity, has also been briefed on the incident.
This is not the first time a police officer has accidentally carried bullets onto a flight.
Seven years ago, an off-duty officer took a bullet clip in his carry-on luggage from Melbourne to Christchurch, New Zealand.
A spokeswoman for Police Minister Bob Cameron on Friday said the minister was satisfied with Mr Overland's explanation.
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