Commander Al Neal was born in Meridian, Mississippi, and moved to Los Angeles, California when he was two years old. Commander Neal was raised in Mid City and South Los Angeles and attended local area schools. Upon graduation from high school, Commander Neal attended California State University, Los Angeles. Commander Neal began his law enforcement career at California State University, Los Angeles in 1989, as a University Police Officer. Commander Neal served the campus community until 1993, when he became a recruit for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Upon graduation from the Los Angeles Police Academy, he was assigned to Newton Patrol Division where he completed his probation then transferred to Southeast Patrol Division. He worked various assignments: Special Problems Unit, Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums-CRASH, Southeast Tactics Cadre, and promoted to a Field Training Officer. In 1999, Commander Neal was selected as a Metropolitan Division Element Member where he worked crime suppression, dignitary protection, warrant service, and trained Department personnel on crowd control tactics among other skills.
In 2003, Commander Neal was promoted to sergeant. As a sergeant, Commander Neal was assigned to Northeast and Central Patrol Divisions. Commander Neal was upgraded to Sergeant II in 2006 and was assigned to Internal Affairs. After leaving Internal Affairs, Commander Neal became the Assistant Officer In Charge, of the Safer Cities Initiative – Central Division and then the Officer In Charge of Planning and Research Division Procedures and Directives Unit. In 2012, Commander Neal was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned to Southeast Division, as a Patrol Watch Commander. In 2015, he was upgraded to Lieutenant II and became the Officer In-Charge of Detective Services Section – Detective Support and Vice Division.
In June of 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Captain and assigned as the Patrol Commanding Officer of Southeast Division. In June of 2017, Commander Neal was upgraded to Captain II and assigned as the Commanding Officer, Community Relationship Division. In August 2018, Commander Neal was assigned to South Traffic Division and in August 2019, he was upgraded to Captain III and assigned to 77th Street Area. On June 20, 2021 Captain Neal was promoted to Commander and assigned to Operations Central Bureau as the Assistant Commanding Officer.
Commander Neal graduated from Mt San Antonio College, California State University Long Beach and University of California Irvine, where he earned his Master’s Degree in Criminology, Law and Society.
Commander Neal is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates.