Courtesy Photo Officers from police and sheriff departments around northern Michigan gather on Aug. 19 at a math and science education center in Alcona County to hone their critical incident skills. The Sprinkler Lake Education Center played host to a monthly training for the Northern Michigan Mutual Aid Task Force’s Emergency Response Team, a group ready to respond to barricaded subjects, hostage situations, and other high-risk situations. The group has been called out six times this year, according to Alcona County Sheriff Scott Stephenson. The U.S. Forest Service gave permission for the training, which used the woods of Alcona County to simulate the environment of much of northern Michigan.

Courtesy Photo

Officers from police and sheriff departments around northern Michigan gather on Aug. 19 at a math and science education center in Alcona County to hone their critical incident skills. The Sprinkler Lake Education Center played host to a monthly training for the Northern Michigan Mutual Aid Task Force’s Emergency Response Team, a group ready to respond to barricaded subjects, hostage situations, and other high-risk situations. The group has been called out six times this year, according to Alcona County Sheriff Scott Stephenson. The U.S. Forest Service gave permission for the training, which used the woods of Alcona County to simulate the environment of much of northern Michigan.