“I was afraid of what other people would think if I chased both of those dreams at the same time."
A Miss America contestant is turning heads for her day job as a police officer.
Ashlyn Mercier, a police officer in Westborough, Massachusetts, is competing in the Miss America competition. The contest’s final competition takes place Sunday in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Mercier is the first police officer to be named Miss Massachusetts.“I think there’s not one single look for what a female police officer is supposed to look like,” she said in an interview with Fox News.
“And if we say that there is, that’s just wrong because, at the end of the day, yes, female law enforcement officers only make up approximately 14 percent of the force in the United States, but we don’t have to look a certain way,” she continued. "People are so multifaceted, women are so multifaceted, and I’m just trying to show young girls that they can chase all of their dreams simultaneously.”
Mercier took time away from pageant competition in 2025 to attend the police academy. At that time, she wasn’t sure whether she would return to competing.
“I was afraid of what other people would think if I chased both of those dreams at the same time," she explained. "I also had this dream of becoming a police officer. But what I came to realize is that I can’t worry about what other people think. I’ve got to focus on myself. And it ended up working out for me.”
She also said that she has received widespread support from her police department.
“I’m really fortunate that they have been so incredibly supportive,” Mercier said. “I work for an amazing department, and my co-workers have supported me 100% from the moment I told them I was competing as Miss Massachusetts to now being at Miss America. They’ve shown up to my sendoff parties. They’ve helped me with my fundraising efforts. They’ve sent me good luck texts."
Mercier has also used the competition to advocate for her cause ”Nick’s Courage: One Smile Goes a Mile.” The cause is named after her brother, who is a pediatric cancer survivor.
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