EL PASO, Texas -- They deal with drug dealers, hostage takers and crazed gunman -- all to keep people safe. And KFOX got a firsthand look at how the El Paso FBI trains.

As part of the El Paso FBI's Citizens Academy, average citizens got to stand and watch just feet away as the elite, FBI Swat Team practiced how they would handle a sniper situation.

"We invite citizens to take an inside look at the FBI. We explain the investigations we conduct, some of the methods we use, and really the why of what we do," Special Agent In Charge David Cuthbert said.

Topics in the six-week-long academy range from white-collar crime to terrorism. Citizens come from all backgrounds, eager to learn firsthand how the FBI handles a number of different crimes.

"I've always wanted to do something like this; it just looked exciting," GECU employee Becky McDorman said.

Many who participated said they gained newfound respect for what the FBI goes through to help keep everyone safe.

"A lot of people don't realize how much training they go through, and how well they're able to execute different duties that they have," Dismas Charities director Hector Zamora said.