One police officer said sometimes more than half of the cameras don't work at any given time.

The cameras have been there for years. Officials say they need to be updated and maintained – and that it's a safety issue. They often go to the cameras to help them solve a crime. For example, police say there was a stabbing last month. They went to the camera, and the video wasn't there.

Council member Mark McGrath says he took action after hearing about the camera issue last week. He says the video can also be useful when the city is being sued and made reference to a lawsuit stemming from the police shooting death of Edson Thevenin. In that case, city cameras were right there, but it was found they weren't operational yet.

Others point to the gunfire that left two Troy officers injured and a suspect dead in Lansingburgh and how video of the shooting helped to put some questions to rest in a time when tensions ran high.

McGrath said he met with the mayor and the police chief on Tuesday and that they're working to make the cameras reliable again ASAP.