By Sarah Roebuck Police1
TEMPE, Ariz. — A Tempe police officer is hoping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and communities throughout the nation after she was crowned Miss Arizona USA.
Officer Candace Kanavel, who works as a crisis intervention trained officer and hostage negotiator for the SWAT team, said there are many crossovers between her job as an officer and the pageant circle, such as communication, leadership and holding yourself to a higher moral standard, AZ Family reports.
Kanavel said she plans to use her platform, #YesSheCAN, to promote confidence in women and help them develop situational awareness.
“Knowing that your dreams are not mutually exclusive; you shouldn’t limit yourself to one thing just because it doesn’t match up with the other,” Kanavel told AZ Family. “I’m hoping that when people see me in this role, and in my role as a police officer, it will help bridge that divide.”
Kanavel said she hopes to humanize the role of an officer. She won the title of Miss Arizona USA in May and will go on to represent her state in the Miss USA competition later in 2023.