Arresting the bad guy is an heroic act for law enforcement officers around the country, but participants in the Escambia County Youth Police Academy found out Thursday, it isn’t all glitter and glitz.

Mike Lambert, chief deputy with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department, said his involvement in the program has offered an opportunity to educate the students beyond 10-4 and handcuffs.

“It’s a great way for us to show them what we have to deal with every day on our jobs,” Lambert said. “They see how things are done on tv, but that’s not how it is for us on a day-t0-day basis.”

Students from around the area have been busy with plenty of activities all week at the annual Youth Police Academy event being held at locations around the county.

With shooting events, physical agility and training as part of the program, students spent most of Thursday seeing how officers defend themselves when faced with violence in an arrest situation.

“They have done really well with these activities,” Lambert said. “We are doing what we can as law enforcement officials to reach out to the youth in this county and let them see what happens in the world of police work. This has been a learning experience for them and for us.”

The Youth Police Academy week will conclude with graduation ceremonies Friday evening at 6 p.m. at the Woodfin-Patterson Auditorium on the campus of Jefferson Davis Community College.