The Cheltenham Township Police Department is mourning the loss of retired Chief John Frye, who passed away on Monday, January 29, after a battle with cancer. He was 52 years old.

Chief Frye served the Cheltenham community for 26 years. He first joined the Department in November 1995 and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Chief in December 2015. He was named Acting Chief of Police from July 1, 2016, until his official appointment as Chief in February 2017, a position he served until November 2021.

From the Department’s Facebook post:

John dedicated 26 years of his life to Cheltenham Township. He distinguished himself throughout his career and rose through the ranks. He held key positions here over the years including Patrol Supervisor (Cpl. & Sgt.), Detective Lieutenant, Deputy Chief, and led our department for over four years as Chief of Police. In addition, John served as the Montgomery County Eastern SWAT Team Commander for over 19 years. Upon his retirement from Cheltenham Police, John was appointed as Chief of Police in Schuylkill Township Chester County and served there from December 2021 until his passing on January 29, 2024.

Please keep him, his family, friends, CTPD and Schuylkill Township Police Department in your prayers.

Chief Frye’s obituary can be found here. For Chief Frye’s 2021 Department Spotlight interview with Cheltenham Township, you can click here.

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Photos: Cheltenham PD, Legacy.com