St. Mary Parish Sheriff ill, seeks evaluation and treatment

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith is suffering from an undetermined illness and is seeking in-patient evaluation and treatment at a medical facility, the Sheriff's Office said.

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office is continuing to operate as normal in providing full-service law enforcement services, the office said in a statement Friday.

"The Administrative staff is in contact with Sheriff Smith and his family on a regular basis to stay up to date with his status and to advise and consult with the Sheriff on office matters," the statement said. "The Sheriff’s staff looks forward to his full recovery."