Last Updated on 3rd October 2019

Ron Hogg, Durham’s police and crime commissioner, has recently been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Mr Hogg has had a thirty-year career as a senior police officer in Durham and Cleveland. During his time his constituency has been rated ‘outstanding’ on four separate occasions by government inspectors.

Progressive policies

In 2015, Mr Hogg introduced a policy of no longer pursuing cannabis smokers or small scale growers. At the time Hogg said that this was to allocate police resources more effectively, and he indicated his support for the decriminalisation of drug use.

In 2018, Mr Hogg was a fervent supporter of legalising cannabis for medicinal purposes. Speaking at the time, Mr Hogg said, “I am delighted that the Government has finally seen sense and agreed to allow cannabis to be used to treat conditions such as epilepsy.”

“The stories of children suffering, when cannabis-based medicines would have helped them, will have touched the hearts of many.”

Now Mr Hogg has written to the Chair of the Police and Crime Panel to request there be a replacement PCC put in place due to his condition. The Police and Crime Panel met on 20th September 2019 to consider the request and have installed Steve White, former Police Federation Chairman, as his acting replacement.

Right to die

Due to the deteriorating nature of his condition, Mr. Hogg is challenging the law banning assisted dying. He has been considering the Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland but would prefer to die in Scotland where he was born. The current ban, however, means he will have to go abroad.

“We would not extend the life of an animal. It is to reduce unnecessary suffering, not only to the individual, but to the families.” Mr. Hogg said.

“I was born in Scotland and that is where I would rather go but I can’t do it because of the laws of the country at the moment. That’s where I was born, that’s where my heart is.”