Changes

Strain was elected in 1995 as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] to succeed the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Patrick Jon "Pat" Canulette (born Feburary 1, 1948) of Slidell<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/patrick-canulette/e99348151980|title=Patrick Canulette|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=December 14, 2018}}</ref> who did not seek reelection. Strain was one of two Democrats in the 1995 nonpartisan blanket primary, along with seven Republicans and an [[Independent voter|Independent]].  In the runoff election, Strain  defeated Republican "Ben" Morris, 30,576 votes (50.2 percent) to 30,276 (49.8 percent). Strain ran without opposition in 1999. In 2003, running as a Republican, Strain polled 79 percent of the ballots cast in the primary. In December 2015, he was unseated by another Republican, "Randy" Smith, who still serves as sheriff.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns: St. Tammany Parish, 1995, 2003, and 2015.</ref>

Strain was elected in 1995 as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] to succeed the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Patrick Jon "Pat" Canulette (born Feburary 1, 1948) of Slidell<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/patrick-canulette/e99348151980|title=Patrick Canulette|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=December 14, 2018}}</ref> who did not seek reelection. Strain was one of two Democrats in the 1995 nonpartisan blanket primary, along with seven Republicans and an [[Independent voter|Independent]].  In the runoff election, Strain  defeated Republican "Ben" Morris, 30,576 votes (50.2 percent) to 30,276 (49.8 percent). Strain ran without opposition in 1999. In 2003, running as a Republican, Strain polled 79 percent of the ballots cast in the primary. In December 2015, he was unseated by another Republican, "Randy" Smith, who still serves as sheriff.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns: St. Tammany Parish, 1995, 2003, and 2015.</ref>

Sheriff Smith said that he had previously heard of the allegations against his predecessor. Smith told New Orleans WWL-TV. “When you have allegations of sexual abuse involving minors, it’s sickening.”<ref name=huffingtonpost/> Strain is also the target of a federal probe looking into a former work-release program which Strain supervised.  Tim Lentz, a former deputy under Strain and the former police chief in Covington, said that he was shocked by the allegations and that his former boss must be investigated and held accountable for any crimes proved.<ref name=investigation/> Strain faces potential charges of having received kickbacks from two of deputies, Clifford "Skip" Keen, Jr., and David Hanson, Sr., after Strain awarded a contract to a company established in the names of children of the deputies. In the federal document, Strain is referred to as "Public Official 1." He allegedly received $1,000 on a recurring basis from the fall of 2013 through the autumn of 2016 in exchange for “bestowing the right to operate the work-release ," known as St. Tammany Workforce Solutions . Strain has not been charged in probe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/crime/2018/11/2-former-st-tammany-deputies-charged-in-federal-probe-involving-ex-sheriff-jack-strain.html|title=Former Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain received kickbacks after awarding work-release contract: feds|publisher=''New Orleans Times-Picayune''|author=Robert Rhoden|date=November 28, 2018|accessdate=December 14, 2018}}</ref>  

Sheriff Smith said that he had previously heard of the allegations against his predecessor. In an interview with WWL-TV, Smith said, “When you have allegations of sexual abuse involving minors, it’s sickening.”<ref name=huffingtonpost/>  

 

Strain is also the target of a federal probe looking into a former work-release program which Strain supervised.  Tim Lentz, a former deputy under Strain and the former police chief in Covington, said that he was shocked by the allegations and that his former boss must be investigated and held accountable for any crimes proved.<ref name=investigation/> Strain faces potential charges of having received kickbacks from two of deputies, Clifford "Skip" Keen, Jr., and David Hanson, Sr., after Strain awarded a contract to a company established in the names of children of the deputies. In the federal document, Strain is referred to as "Public Official 1." He allegedly received $1,000 on a recurring basis from the fall of 2013 through the autumn of 2016 in exchange for “bestowing the right to operate the work-release ," known as St. Tammany Workforce Solutions . Strain has not been charged in probe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/crime/2018/11/2-former-st-tammany-deputies-charged-in-federal-probe-involving-ex-sheriff-jack-strain.html|title=Former Tammany Sheriff Jack Strain received kickbacks after awarding work-release contract: feds|publisher=''New Orleans Times-Picayune''|author=Robert Rhoden|date=November 28, 2018|accessdate=December 14, 2018}}</ref>  

Under Strain's tenure, St. Tammany Parish had the highest incarceration rates for [[African-American]] men in the state. Some used the pejorative "St. Slammany" to refer to the incarcerations. Strain was repeatedly questioned about [[racist]] incidents, which became the focus of his failed 2015 reelection bid. His opponents noted that in 2014 racist emails were sent and received by two high ranking detectives at the sheriff’s office. The emails likened black males to animals, called then [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]] a "monkey", and referred to African-Americans as the “entitlement crowd.”<ref name=huffingtonpost>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/controversial-ex-louisiana-sheriff-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teens_us_5c141908e4b009b8aea7414e|title=Controversial Louisiana Ex-Sheriff Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teens:

Under Strain's tenure, St. Tammany Parish had the highest incarceration rates for [[African-American]] men in the state. Some used the pejorative "St. Slammany" to refer to the incarcerations. Strain was repeatedly questioned about [[racist]] incidents, which became the focus of his failed 2015 reelection bid. His opponents noted that in 2014 racist emails were sent and received by two high ranking detectives at the sheriff’s office. The emails likened black males to animals, called then [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]] a "monkey", and referred to African-Americans as the “entitlement crowd.”<ref name=huffingtonpost>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/controversial-ex-louisiana-sheriff-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teens_us_5c141908e4b009b8aea7414e|title=Controversial Louisiana Ex-Sheriff Accused Of Sexually Abusing Teens: