Larry Smith, former Riverside County Sheriff, passes at age 68

RIVERSIDE - Larry D. Smith, who was Riverside County's sheriff for eight years, has died, it was reported today.

Smith died Friday morning at his home in La Quinta at the age of 68.

Smith was elected to two four-year terms from 1994 to 2002 and had been in law enforcement for 36 years, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Smith suffered from heart problems and had recently battled bladder cancer and pneumonia.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. May 4 at the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church at 47-321 Highway 74 in Palm Desert, the Press- Enterprise reported.

Smith was the 11th of the 13 men to serve as sheriff in the department's 120-year history. Smith had presided over a department that currently has 3,000 deputies and polices 17 cities, in addition to 300 square miles of unincorporated areas.