ST. IGNACE, MI -- Coast Guard members from stations around the Great Lakes are in St. Ignace this week going through intensive training to help combat terrorism.

Instructors say this training is important because it helps give the best tactical techniques to help corner the bad guy to protect our shores and critical infrastructure.

Whether it's the Mackinac Bridge or the Soo Locks, protection from threats is important.

"There is critical infrastructure throughout the Great Lakes that is susceptible to terrorism and they teach us the tactics to safely enforce safety zones around that infrastructure," said Officer in Charge Richard Berg of Coast Guard Station St. Ignace.

19 marine officers are learning the best ways to stop threats from instructors with the National Association of State Boating Law Administration, or NASBLA.  It’s mandated training that was set up a year and half ago and it's the first time it's been to St. Ignace and the Straits of Mackinac area.

"It’s all about working together, creating partnerships, and using tactics that we can deploy and use together to improve our maritime security," said Scott Pearce, a NASBLA instructor.

The training is intense and the boat operators learn a lot about their boat.  Several of the tactical techniques we can't show on camera because they're a secret, but here, we are jumping two to three foot swells in the Straits going more than 25 knots.

"They all deal with how to combat a person who poses a threat," said OinC Berg.

"I wouldn't have tried some of this before without this training, and even after day one, I feel a lot more comfortable with the operation and handling of the boat," said Mackinac County Sheriff’s Deputy Ed Wilk.

Deputies with the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office are also training with the Coast Guard officers.

“It helps create the lair defense type of situation where you have multiple agencies working together for a common goal," said Pearce.

And that collaboration is big when it comes to federal and local entities because of the amount of shoreline that must be covered.

The training is focused on handling the vessels in situations and there isn't any live fire during the week-worth of training.