For a couple of years, officials in the town of Lincoln have been working to get surveillance cameras up and running to keep an eye on things downtown. But the plan hit a few bumps along the way.

Councilor Stephen Clay says petty crime was why officials wanted cameras on Main Street.

"There was just a lot of vandalism. We wanted a way to be able to see the vandalism take place, know who did it. So that's how it all started," Clay says.

But the wireless system they installed this winter hit a big snag - interference from other wireless devices.

"Cell phones, CBs, whenever one of those is activated the signal cut out and has to be reset in the building. So if it's 2 a.m., and someone uses a cell phone, it resets it and there wouldn't be a recording. The feed would be cut off," Clay says.

That's why last week cameras weren't recording when police say a fight broke out in this parking lot. A man passing through town died from a heart attack shortly afterward. An investigation is ongoing.

"That incident last week could have been caught on tape and there'd be no question what happened," he says.

While a nearby business did catch some of it on tape, Town Manager Lisa Goodwin says a few people have asked why town cameras aren't yet reliable.

"They certainly are a resource for our police protection, while they're doing their investigative work, to have something you can rely on," Goodwin says.

Councilors have been evaluating several options to improve reliability by running a new fiber optic system. The choices range in the thousands of dollars - costly - but officials say, an asset to the town. They're set to choose a plan next month.

"I want them running," Goodwin says. "We've put them up, we've gone to the expense of purchasing them. I certainly want them running and useful."

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