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Articles by: Simon Bailey

Hands on a computer keyboard signifying cyber crime or dark web

Our research on dark web forums reveals the growing threat of AI-generated child abuse images

3rd March 2025

Simon Bailey, Chair, IPPPRI

ANALYSIS: New laws proposed by the UK Government will be the first in the world to make it an offence to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material; Simon Bailey, Chair of the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), and IPPPRI Director, Professor Sam Lundigran, explain why the new laws will be crucial in the fight against the growing scale of AI-generated online child abuse images.

The Online Safety Bill: A momentous step forward, but our children cannot wait for its impact

28th September 2023

Simon Bailey, Chair, IPPPRI

OPINION: The UK’s Online Safety Bill recently passed the final stages of Parliamentary debate, and is now set to become law, but the legislation alone will not address all the challenges around online child sexual abuse; Simon Bailey, Chair of the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region and former National Police Chiefs’ Council Child Protection Lead, warns that big tech must take greater responsibility in keeping children safe online – and that we all have a part to play.

Online harms: The whole world has access to your child

9th May 2023

Simon Bailey, Chair, IPPPRI

OPINION: Online child sexual abuse activity has reached staggeringly high levels and increasing depravity; ahead of this month’s Policing Institute for the East Region (PIER) conference on tackling online harms, Simon Bailey, former Chief Constable of Norfolk and now PIER Chair, argues that a whole system approach to the issue – including education and regulation – is essential, as is the better use of technology by law enforcement.

Simon Bailey: ‘Culture of tech companies putting profit before everything else is still failing to protect our children’

17th May 2022

Simon Bailey, Chair, IPPPRI

OPINION: The latest Internet Watch Foundation report highlighted an exponential rise in online child sexual abuse; former Chief Constable and NPCC child protection lead Simon Bailey, now Chair of the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region, believes that tech companies hold the key to improving protection for children, but are leaving them at risk as they focus on chasing profits.

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Simon Bailey is the Chair of the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (formerly the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER)), having taken up the post in September 2021. He retired from policing in June 2021 after 35 years’ service as a police officer, the last eight as Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary. As the National Police Chiefs’ Council Child Protection Lead, Simon led Operation Hydrant, the national co-ordination centre for the non-recent sexual abuse of children in institutions and at the hands of persons in position of public prominence. He also led the service response to the threat of online harms and under his leadership UK policing has been recognised and acknowledged as the best in the world at targeting offenders. Since retiring Simon has been building a portfolio of appointments focused on tackling, exploitation, abuse and vulnerability including the Chair of the Policing Institute for the East Region and Director of Strategic Engagement with the Child Rescue Coalition. Simon was awarded the Queens Police Medal in 2016 and was made a Deputy Lieutenant in Norfolk in 2021. He has Masters’ degree from Cambridge University and an Honorary Doctorate in Science from the University of Bedford.