Simon Overland has dodged a six-figure fine after being caught with live ammunition boarding a flight from Canberra to Melbourne.

Simon Overland has dodged a six-figure fine after being caught with live ammunition boarding a flight from Canberra to Melbourne.
The Victorian Chief Commissioner, who carries a gun because of fears he could be an organised-crime target, was caught with a magazine loaded with bullets at Canberra Airport on Thursday afternoon.Has Simon Overland got off lightly? Tell us what you think in the comments below
But while Mr Overland has avoided a maximum $110,000 fine, a screening officer who missed the banned item - when Mr Overland flew from Melbourne to Canberra - has been stood down.The officer, who works in Melbourne Airport's Qantas terminal, will be retrained for his blunder.Mr Overland inadvertently left the ammunition in his carry-on luggage.Sources have told the Herald Sun he had placed his pistol, believed to be a 9mm semi-automatic Glock, in a locked box before boarding the flight.But while the State Government has backed the Chief Commissioner, former National Crime Authority chairman and prominent barrister Peter Faris, QC, said he should be charged.
"So it's OK to carry bullets on a plane?" Mr Faris said.
"It's a serious criminal offence. Any other citizen would be charged.
"The AFP should charge him and it should be left for a court to consider.
"It's a no-brainer.
"You can't just say he's the Victorian Chief Commissioner so he can't be charged."
But instead of being fined or charged, Mr Overland was cautioned and will be issued with a letter of reprimand by the Office of Transport Security.In a statement, it said it was "consistent with the approach taken where similarly inadvertent incidents have occurred involving police officers".Mr Overland contacted Office of Police Integrity director Michael Strong yesterday to brief him about the incident.An embarrassed Mr Overland told AFP officers at Canberra Airport to confiscate the bullets after being screened and interviewed.
An investigation has been launched by the Office of Security Transport, but no further action is expected.
Mr Overland, however, will have to write a detailed report for the OPI.
Mr Overland normally carries a semi-automatic pistol, but a Victoria Police spokeswoman refused to say if it is a Glock 9mm or how long he has carried a gun.
A statement from Victoria Police yesterday confirmed the incident."The Chief Commissioner had inadvertently carried a magazine containing ammunition through the screening point and when it was discovered he asked AFP members to confiscate it immediately and co-operated fully with them," it said.
Police Association secretary Greg Davies said Mr Overland did not deserve preferen- tial treatment."Our position will be there is one law for everyone," he said.
The only authorities permitted to carry guns on planes are air marshals.

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