Nearly two decades after the Rodney King beating prompted demands for heightened monitoring of LAPD officers, city officials were told Monday of a renewed effort to get video cameras installed patrol cars.

Police Chief Charlie Beck has said he wants the cameras installed and working as quickly as possible, with members of the City Council's Public Safety Committee asked for monthly updates on the project.

"We have been talking about this since 1991, after the Rodney King incident," said Councilman Dennis Zine, referring to the infamous beating of an African-American motorist by four LAPD officers. "I don't understand what's taking us so long to get this done."

The Christopher Commission, which was empaneled after the King incident to review LAPD operations, recommended the installation of video cameras in all patrol cars.

However, it wasn't until 2008 that the city signed a $5.4 million contract with IBM to install cameras in about one-fourth of the LAPD's 1,200 patrol cars in a pilot program in the South Bureau.

However, Maggie Goodrich, commanding officer of the LAPD's new Information Technology Bureau, said technicians are still working to integrate the cameras with the patrol cars' dashboard computers and to enusre the images captured are of high enough quality to use in court.

"We have asked for a new timeline from IBM and should have it by the end of the month," Goodrich said, adding that she has requested additional technical help from IBM. She also has developed a program to include patrol officers in assessing the cameras and their functionality.

Goodrich said the cameras have been disconnected from the computers until all aspects of their use are resolved.

"I will not authorize final acceptance of the system until we see all areas of it are operating," Goodrich said.

Zine asked for the report after reading of concerns by the civilian Police Commission over the amount of time it has taken to complete the project.