Great American Warrior: Meet Candace Kanavel, a cop who became Miss Arizona USA

This Great American Warrior article is brought to you by our partner, philanthropist, and LEO supporter Trudy Jacobson.

Candace Kanavel always had an interest in politics. She saw it as a way to help the community by becoming a leader who can make a difference. She even aspired to become the first female president of the United States. 

But during her time as a student majoring in Political Science at Arizona State University, she began questioning politics as a career. She recognized that politics are complex. 

“As I was studying it I was like, ‘Man, politics are tanking’, and that was 2014,” Candace told LET.

And she was right to feel that way. As the political landscape continues to evolve, more and more Americans are becoming distrustful of politics and politicians. 

But Candace still wanted to find a way to help people. 

“I was like I want to do something that affects change in a hands-on way. I took a criminal justice class to see my other options,” she said.

Her professor, a former police officer, introduced her to some colleagues with the Tempe Police Department. That was all she needed to later apply with the TPD and become a police officer. 

Although she was ecstatic about the new role, she was caught off guard.

“It’s been difficult. I started my career at the height of the Black Lives Matter, at the height of the George Floyd incident. Coming into it I was a young, excited cop ready to serve the community only to have people that I considered friends at that time say, ‘How could you be a cop? You’re racist’. It was definitely challenging,” Candace said. 



Candace stuck with policing despite all the hurdles and challenges. In 2023, she entered a beauty pageant to become the first police officer to enter and win Miss Arizona – an incredible achievement!

With this new title, she is using her platform to continue helping the community and helping policing in general. 

“Using this unique opportunity, being Miss Arizona USA and a police officer has been such a gift because I’ve been able to humanize officers a little bit by sharing my own story,” Candace said.

She wants the world to know that police officers are also human and that can be used to bring policing and the community together.

“I think that if we can get to each other on a human level like that, we’ll start to see the bridge come together with the community and law enforcement,” she said. 

Part of her strategy is to continue helping people within the community.

“We want to make sure that we’re helping people on their worst days, we want to make change in our communities. And I think it’s hard to see that when we have to show up and fix the bad situations,” she said.

But she will never give up. 

Trudy Jacobson, producer of Great American Warriors, says she is proud to feature Candace.

“Being a police officer is difficult, especially these last few years. But Candace isn’t giving up, she’s stepping up. She has a long and challenging road ahead but is determined and will make a positive difference in our communities. And that’s why she is a Great American Warrior,” Trudy said.

Follow Candace on IG @candacekanavel. Subscribe to Trudy Jacobson’s Youtube channel to watch Candace and all the other Great American Warrior interviews at www.youtube.com/@trudyjacobsonta and check out her website www.trudyjacobson.com

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Writer Eddie Molina is a veteran and has over 25 years of combined LEO/military service. He owns and operates the LEO apparel and accessory company www.BuyHeroStuff.com