Today’s Our Town Hero is an Our Town Survivor: Ashley Brea Frye. Frye has survived foster homes, a mother now in St. Louis, who has been in and out of prison and is not part of her life … and won’t be. She has two brothers – one older, one younger – she has no contact with today. One has been in and out of jail; the other is in a Chattanooga rehabilitation center. She’s never met her biological father.
That’s a rough start for any kid, but it’s made her gritty tough and she’s only 22. Her last name is not her birth last name. Frye is her adopted name of her last foster parents – Jennifer and Jeremy Frye. Her birth last name “Irvin” is not one she wanted to carry through life.
Three years ago, Ashley was in a difficult relationship with a young man that in many ways resulted in a blessing named Nolan. Today she is an unmarried mother of her cute 2-year-old son. She’s now battling custody arrangements with Nolan’s father in a courtroom.
Deputy Ashley Frye is congratulated by Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis at her graduation from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy
But this determined young lady has a new family today. In 2023, she was hired by Sheriff Jimmy Davis to join his team at the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). Her first eight months were spent as a corrections officer in the LCSO jail. Then she was off to Nashville for 12 weeks and 400 hours of intense training at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in Nashville. She graduated on June 20, one of 93 graduates in a class that began with 144. She was one of nine women to graduate.
Frye is now a patrol deputy riding with a FTO (Field Training Officer) for 16 weeks. When that ends, she’ll be patrolling Loudon County on her own.
Frye knew she wanted to start a new life. She has. In 2021 she joined the Tennessee Army National Guard and is now a military police officer (MP) in the 253rd MP Co. in Lenoir City. Her rank is specialist, and she also works in the company’s Unit Supply area.
“I knew I wanted to leave that life behind, a life I survived and now I’m living the life I wanted,” she says. “I was back and forth in foster care with different families. I was coming from a different life where no one had your back and I always felt like I had no one on my side. Coming into law enforcement I knew I’d be able to cope with the job and it’s such a good feeling being where I am today. Life’s good, finally.”
She graduated from Lenoir City High School in December 2018. Her work ethic is real. For five years, including her high school years, she worked at a variety of jobs for Food City stores in Loudon, Pigeon Forge, Kingston, Oliver Springs and Clinton. “I did everything except work in the deli and meat departments. I learned a lot about people.”
It was those days and months of jail work that appealed to her. “I got to know them, the female inmates. I talked to them and understood that they’re real people. There was no need to talk down to them. You don’t ever treat them worse than they already feel.
Frye says her job is special. “I love what I do. You have no idea what kind of day the people you encounter have had or are having. I think we help give people peace of mind, trying to help the situations they’re in in life. That’s true out on patrol or in the jail.”
These days she’s training on the LCSO Bravo shift and soon moving to the Delta shift. When her FTO training ends in August she moves to the day shift on the Alpha team.
“I’ve always known that one day I wanted to be in a position to help people and Lenoir City and Loudon are my communities and my hometowns,” Frye says. “The sheriff’s office has welcomed me into their family, and I know they have my back and are there for me. It’s a good feeling.”
LCSO Chief Deputy Zac Frye (no relation to Ashley) speaks for the sheriff’s office when asked about this young deputy: “Ashley already has proven to be a phenomenal asset to the sheriff’s office in every position she’s been in. We are incredibly happy to have her as a part of our team and I personally look forward to watching her succeed in this career – which she will.”
Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.