Miss USA: Tempe Police officer representing Arizona at national pageant

PHOENIX - Remember the movie Miss Congeniality?

The movie, according to IMDb, came out in 2000, and it stars Sandra Bullock as an FBI agent who infiltrated a beauty pageant as a contestant during an investigation into a possible attack.

In Arizona, there is now a real-life version of Miss Congeniality (with quite a bit of difference, of course), as an officer with the Tempe Police Department is representing Arizona on stage at the Miss USA Pageant.

All parallels with the movie aside, the moment is history in the making.

"In 72 years, there has never been a police officer to walk the Miss USA stage," said Officer Candace Kanavel. "I’m so grateful to represent not only Arizona, but law enforcement across the country."

Feeling both at home in an evening dress and a uniform, Officer Kanavel said pageants aren't that different from patrol.

"The role that I play as a police officer directly applies to what I am doing here this week," said Officer Kanavel. "It’s about representing an organization and entity for yourself, and doing it for the greater good."

During the pageant, Officer Kanavel also has a different kind of mission in mind.

"There’s been some tension, I believe, between the community and law enforcement in the past few years," said Officer Kanavel. "To be able to be a voice, to bridge that gap, it’s giving that image to people, so we can better connect and understand, and we can meet each other on a better level to connect and empathize with one another."

For Officer Kanavel, the past few days have been a whirlwind of sorts.

"Seven days of fun activities together, competition activities, all sorts of things that the competition has planned for us," said Officer Kanavel.

The Tempe Police officer is soaking in the moments she’s worked so hard – and dreamed so hard – to experience.

"It’s really such a full circle moment," said Officer Kanavel. "I think back to when I was younger, watching the Miss USA Pageant on TV, and thinking how amazing these women were, and how much I would love to be on that stage. Never in a billion years would I think I would be where I am today."

Officer Kanavel also has a second mission in mind: she hopes to meet Sandra Bullock.