Mark Shelford
British Conservative politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Grosvenor McNeill Shelford (born November 1961[3]) is a British Conservative politician and former lieutenant colonel in the British Army, who served as the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner from 2021 until 2024.
Mark Shelford | |
|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner | |
| In office 13 May 2021 – 8 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sue Mountstevens |
| Succeeded by | Clare Moody |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 1961 (age 64) |
| Party | Conservative |
| Website | www |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1981–2013[1] |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards[2] |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War Northern Ireland Afghanistan |
Biography
Shelford served in the British Army between 1981 and 2013, eventually retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1] This included service in the Gulf War as the aide-de-camp to Brigadier Patrick Cordingley.[2]
Shelford was elected to Bath and North East Somerset Council for the Lyncombe ward in the 2015 election.[4] He held this position until 2019, where he was defeated by the Liberal Democrat candidate.[5] He is also a member of the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel, and the Avon Fire Authority.[1]
Police and Crime Commissioner
Shelford was elected on the second round of voting in the 2021 PCC election.[6]
In 2022, along with other South West PCCs, Shelford announced that police on the region would crack down on dealers and users of recreational drugs.[7] Some experts criticised the PCC's calls to reclassify cannabis from Class B to Class A.[8]
In 2023, Avon and Somerset Chief Constable, Sarah Crew, claimed that the force had institutional racism. Shelford endorsed her claims and said he supported her leadership.[9]
Shelford supported the chief constable in enabling the Channel 4 series To Catch a Copper to have behind-the-scenes access at the police Counter-Corruption Unit.[10][11] Some members of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation said they felt "utterly betrayed" and "unsupported" by this decision and the resultant program.[12]
Shelford supported the re-establishment of local police stations in the area, which had been cut during budget cuts in the 2010s,[13] such as in Bath.[14][15]
Shelford stood in the 2024 PCC election, but was defeated for re-election by the Labour party.[16]