Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP; formerly the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) is a command of the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), and is tasked to work both nationally and internationally to bring online child sex offenders, including those involved in the production, distribution and viewing of child abuse material, to the UK courts. The centre was formed in April 2006, and was absorbed into the NCA on 7 October 2013 by the Crime and Courts Act 2013.

Purpose and operations

CEOP combines police powers with expertise from the business sector, government, specialist charities and other interested organisations.

Partners

CEOP is made up of police officers with specialist experience of tracking and prosecuting sex offenders, working with people from organisations including the NSPCC and Childnet, Microsoft and AOL. Partnerships have been set up across non-government bodies, including: Action for Children, NSPCC, Barnardos; business (Microsoft, AOL, Serco, Vodafone etc.) and UK Government departments (Department for Education; Home Office; Foreign and Commonwealth Office etc.). CEOP works with organisations such as The Scout Association, the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, BT, and Lycos to widen the scope of its work.