ARIZONA NEWS

Tempe police officer to compete in Miss USA Pageant as Miss Arizona

Sep 22, 2023, 4:00 PM

PHOENIX — A Tempe police officer will trade in her badge for a crown next week when she competes in the Miss USA Pageant as Miss Arizona.

Candace Kanavel will try to win Miss USA at the annual event, which is being held in Reno, Nevada, on Friday.

Kanavel will be the first police officer to walk the pageant runway.

“Pageants have helped me become the officer I am today,” Kanavel said in a press release. “They’ve taught me leadership skills, communication skills and teamwork. All of that directly applies to what I’m doing as a police officer.”

Kanavel isn’t just a run-of-the-mill police officer, either. She is a SWAT hostage negotiator and is trained in crisis intervention.

She said her two roles are fairly similar, even if they don’t seem so on the surface.

“When I’m a police officer, I’m serving the community,” Kanavel said. “I’m out helping others when they need us the most.

“But in my other job as Miss Arizona USA, even though I’m wearing a different uniform, I’m doing the same thing. I’m serving the community and I’m making a difference.”

Kanavel also does work with a movement she initiated called Yes She CAN.

The idea behind it is to motivate and empower women to embrace their confidence and capability. Kanavel also wants women to consider careers in areas that used to be considered non-traditional.

Miss USA will air live on CW6 at 5 p.m.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona News

Man shot in head in Tempe...

KTAR.com

Man shot in head in Tempe trying to drive himself to hospital crashes into vehicles

A man who was shot in the head and attempting to drive himself to the hospital crashed into two vehicles on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

50 minutes ago

Mesa Public Schools is planning layoffs....

Kevin Stone

Mesa Public Schools reveals details about how many jobs it plans to cut

Mesa Public Schools, the state’s largest public school district, released new details about its previously announced plan for layoffs.

1 hour ago

Edmund Davis...

Danny Shapiro

Man connected to Alicia Navarro case gets 100-year prison sentence for sexual abuse of children

A Montana man who admitted he was the boyfriend of Alicia Navarro, the Glendale girl who went missing for four years, received a 100-year prison sentence for sexual abuse of children, authorities announced Tuesday.

2 hours ago

$50K winning Powerball ticket sold in Scottsdale Safeway...

Serena O'Sullivan

Powerball ticket worth $50K sold in Scottsdale grocery store

A winning Powerball ticket worth $50,000 was recently sold in a Safeway in Scottsdale, according to a Tuesday Arizona Lottery news release.

3 hours ago

Brady Fire...

Danny Shapiro

Brady Fire forces evacuations for residents south of Prescott

The Brady Fire that sparked Monday afternoon forced evacuations for some residents south of Prescott, authorities said.

4 hours ago

Avondale man killed by Florida police after killing 2...

Serena O'Sullivan

Avondale man shot by Florida deputies after killing 2 in armed gas station robbery

Avondale man Dominic Caroway was killed in Florida after leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a manhunt following a fatal armed robbery.

5 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Your go-to plumbing experts in Arizona

Collins Comfort Masters, a trusted name in HVAC, water and plumbing since 1985, is you go-to plumbers for the residents of Phoenix and the Valley.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Tempe police officer to compete in Miss USA Pageant as Miss Arizona