In 1979, Strain became Chief of Police for the Covington Police Department and served in the office until his retirement in 1993.
A native of Madisonville, he was raised in Abita Springs, graduated from Covington High School in 1964 and was then hired by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office in 1965. Eight years later, in 1973, Strain became the Chief Investigator with the District Attorney's office.
After his retirement from the Covington Police Department in 1993, he returned to work for the Sheriff's Office. In 2009, he became Chief Deputy, the second highest position in the Sheriff's Office. Strain remained with the Sheriff's office until his death on January 16, 2014.
Here is Al Strain with Eileen Buras and an unidentified gentlemen at a Youth Service Bureau event in Covington.
