Ashlyn Mercier competes in Miss America as Massachusetts police officer

Ashlyn Mercier, a police officer with the Westborough Police Department in Massachusetts, is competing in the Miss America pageant. Mercier made history as the first police officer to be crowned Miss Massachusetts.

Mercier is using the competition platform to advocate for ‘Nick’s Courage: One Smile Goes a Mile,’ an initiative named after her brother, Nicholas, a two-time pediatric cancer survivor. The program aims to provide hope and positivity to children facing critical illnesses.

Mercier stated that her participation is intended to challenge stereotypes regarding the appearance of female law enforcement officers and to demonstrate to young women that they can pursue multiple, diverse identities and dreams simultaneously.