Ron Hogg, the innovative police commissioner for Durham who led his force to become the best performing in England, has died aged 68.

Hogg, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in August, had called for the law banning assisted dying to be scrapped for the terminally ill. The former rugby player struggled to walk and had breathing difficulties within a month of his diagnosis.

Hogg was elected to the role of police, crime and victims’ commissioner in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016 with 63% of the votes cast. He had previously served as deputy chief constable of Cleveland police.

In a statement, his office said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ron Hogg, police, crime and victims’ commissioner for County Durham and Darlington. Ron died peacefully on Tuesday morning, having been diagnosed with motor neurone disease earlier this year.”

Steve White, the acting police commissioner since September 2019, said: “In my 30 years of policing, I have never known of someone so universally liked and respected as Ron was by officers, staff, politicians and officials. He will be greatly missed and leaves a lasting legacy.”

Jo Farrell, Durham’s chief constable, offered condolences to Hogg’s family and colleagues, adding: “Ron was a radical thinker, an inspiring leader and a lifelong public servant who wasn’t afraid to tackle head on some of the most difficult issues facing society.”

Under Hogg, the Durham force was rated outstanding four times by the police inspectorate and pioneered innovative schemes to tackle reoffending and keep people out of prison. Hogg wanted resources concentrated not on cannabis users but dealers, and called for radical changes to the drugs laws.

Motor neurone disease is an incurable condition that leads to muscle wasting and death. In September, despite needing help to breathe, Hogg gave an interview to the Guardian in which he said he wanted the right to end his suffering at a time chosen by him and his family.

“Thirty years as a cop, 30 years playing rugby, now I find it difficult to walk across the room,” he said. “I’ve got limited use of my right arm. I’ve lost three stone in body weight, I’ve lost five inches off my chest … simple things become so so difficult.”

He said the diagnosis was “like walking into a brick wall” and hestarted thinking about assisted dying shortly after being diagnosed on 23 August.

“It’s about your quality of life, your ability to enjoy life. I look at myself now and certainly become very depressed in many regards with my condition, and I can see that as things deteriorate, the life that you have, is it the life you really want, the life you think you should be leading?”

He said a ban on assisted dying in the UK meant humans were exposed to suffering that would not be inflicted on an animal, and the law should change. “We would not extend the life of an animal. It is to reduce unnecessary suffering, not only to the individual, but to the families.”

In October, following Hogg’s interview, a cross-party group of MPs said the law banning terminally ill people from being helped to end their lives should be reviewed.

Hogg died in a hospice in Darlington after contracting an infection.

Sarah Wootton, the chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said: “Ron’s sincere request to MPs was that they listen to the voices of dying people, of police officers, and of bereaved family members who have been caught up in our cruel, outdated laws on assisted dying. Sadly Ron was not able to live to see the change he campaigned so passionately for. A better, kinder and safer law is long overdue.”

In October, the Ministry of Justice said: “This is a matter of individual conscience, and any change in the law is for parliament rather than government to decide.”

MPs voted against a change in the law in 2015. Opponents fear any change in legislation could lead to people being killed against their will.