Candace Kanavel to become 1st law enforcement officer to compete in Miss USA

Candace Kanavel wears many hats and ... a tiara!

The Tempe, Arizona, SWAT team member is set to become the first law enforcement officer to compete in the Miss USA pageant Friday, according to a press release from the Tempe Police Department.

"I want to give people who aren't in law enforcement a little insight into what officers are like," Kanavel told Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV. "We have hobbies, we have families, we have all these different things outside of what we do for a living."

The 27-year-old, one of Tempe Police Department's SWAT hostage negotiators, was crowned Miss Arizona in May and said the roles share many things in common.

"When I'm in my police uniform, I'm empowered to help people. And when I'm in my sash and crown, I'm empowered to help people," Kanavel, who is Japanese American, said. "And so I'm doing the same job, just in a different uniform."

Kanavel said she encourages others to embrace all their interests and to live fearlessly.

"I think in society, we get put in boxes a lot and we're confined by that box but I think what my message is to people is that you don't have to be limited to that box," she added. "I can do it all and so can everybody else."

In addition to vying for the crown, Kanavel revealed in an Instagram post that one of her next goals is to meet "Miss Congeniality" star Sandra Bullock, who portrayed FBI Special Agent Gracie Hart who goes undercover at a beauty pageant in the 2000 film.

The 2023 Miss USA pageant will be held at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, and the winner will be crowned by Miss USA 2022, Morgan Romano of North Carolina.