Bill Longmore

William Morgan Longmore, more publicly known as Bill Longmore (18 August 1938 – 17 May 2018) was the Independent West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner. He was the first person to hold the post and was elected on 15 November 2012. A former police officer with Staffordshire Police, Longmore was a businessman prior to his election. He attracted controversy shortly after taking office for appointing his former campaign manager as his Deputy.

Police career and election
Longmore, who was brought up at Amblecote near Stourbridge, was a serving police officer with Staffordshire Police for 30 years from 1957, rising to the position of Superintendent.

Following his retirement from the force he enjoyed a second career as a businessman, building up a manufacturing company, buying two factories and converting them to timber mills.

In 2011 Longmore won the BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero Award – an award recognising those involved in community sports projects, and which was presented to him for his work towards improving sports facilities in the village of Hanwood, Shropshire, where he settled after buying a former farmhouse. He was a district councillor in Cannock, Staffordshire, where he lived previously, and a parish councillor in Hanwood. In 2017 he and his wife Ursula formed the Great Hanwood Community Interest Company which purchased the then-closed Cock Inn at Hanwood with the aim of reopening it for public community use.

Bill Longmore ran as an independent Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia Police in the first elections for the post in November 2012, and was subsequently elected to the position. During his campaign he said that his intention was to serve a single term in office.

Longmore fulfilled his election pledge to retire at the PCC elections which took place on 5 May 2016. His deputy Barrie Sheldon stood as Independent candidate but lost to Conservative candidate John Campion.

Death
While serving as Police and Crime Commissioner, Longmore was diagnosed with lung cancer, for which he received chemotherapy. He died at his home on Thursday 17 May 2018 aged 79. His funeral took place at Shrewsbury Crematorium on Saturday 9 June, with a thanksgiving service at Shrewsbury Abbey Church the same day. He was survived by his wife Ursula who he had married in 1989.