Ashlyn Mercier has spent her career wearing a badge. Now, she’s hoping to wear one of the country’s most coveted tiaras.
The Westborough, Massachusetts, police officer is competing in Miss America. The final competition takes place Sept. 6 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Mercier is also 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,” Mercier told Fox News Digital. “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% of the force in the United States, but we don’t have to look a certain way.”
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“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 said. “They don’t have to pick one thing and make that their entire identity.”
The glitzy competition dates to a 1921 beauty contest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, held a year after the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote. The organization awards scholarships and gives its titleholder a national platform for community service and advocacy.
Mercier hopes to raise awareness of her cause, “Nick’s Courage: One Smile Goes a Mile,” named after her younger brother, Nicholas, a two-time pediatric cancer survivor. The initiative aims to bring positivity and hope to children battling critical illnesses.
In 2025, she took a year off from pageant competition to follow in her father’s footsteps and attend the police academy.
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“I didn’t know if I would ever come back and compete,” Mercier said. “I was afraid of what other people would think if I chased both of those dreams at the same time. 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.”
Mercier said the Westborough Police Department has been cheering her on as she balances the competition with her work as an officer. Fox News Digital reached out to the department for comment.
“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.”
“It’s really just an honor to be surrounded by people who uplift me,” she said. “It really continues to help motivate me to move forward.”
Mercier said her career in law enforcement doesn’t give her an advantage on the Miss America stage. She’s one of the delegates representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, each hoping to stand out.
Still, other officers have taken notice.
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“I’ve had thousands of female law enforcement officers across the country commenting on my posts saying that they’re rooting for me and that they’re inspired by me,” Mercier said. “There are also young girls saying that they want to get into law enforcement, and they’re inspired by my story. And then, I serve my community in Westborough every single day in my capacity as a police officer, but I also get to serve my community in the role as Miss Massachusetts.”
“Those two things are what is so important about the Miss America opportunity,” Mercier said. “Yes, we get to dress up. Yes, we get to wear pretty gowns and look beautiful. But, women’s empowerment and service are the core. And if you look at it like that, you can see and draw a lot of parallels between Miss America and between my role as Officer Mercier.”
Police work has also given Mercier skills she can use in the competition. She said she’s comfortable communicating with different people and staying calm in nerve-wracking situations. But one challenge remains.
When asked whether getting ready for a shift or a pageant takes longer, she didn’t miss a beat.
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“Oh, absolutely getting ready for a pageant,” she said with a laugh. “I do not look like this on a daily basis when I go to work. I’ll have maybe some mascara on, and the hair gets slicked back in a bun. I’ve got that down in about two minutes flat. This definitely takes a lot longer.”
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This year’s competition commemorates 105 years of Miss America. Whether she earns the title or not, Mercier said she’s determined to use her platform to make a difference.
“If I do win, I just hope to be an inspiration to young women and girls looking up to [me] knowing that she can be a police officer, and she can be Miss America,” Mercier said. “She can chase all her dreams at once. I’ve been told I should pick one, focus on one. But you can do it all. My message is to inspire the next generation.”