San Jose will finally equip its police officers with body cameras to improve transparency by recording interactions with the public.

San Jose police began field testing body cameras Monday, the latest push for the technology after years of false starts.

After several delays and stalled pilot programs, the city of San Jose and its police union have reached an agreement that should lead to all officers being equipped with body-worn cameras by next summer.

San Jose plans to roll out yet another pilot program testing body-worn cameras on police officers this fall. That would push the date of official deployment out to late 2016.

The San Jose Police Department received praise last week for 12 officers volunteering to wear body cameras as part of a pilot program. What several reports failed to mention, however, is that internal politics has temporarily derailed the program.

San Jose mustered up at least some of the money it needs to buy body cameras for police officers, so they can record their interactions with the public.

San Jose will start looking for ways to pay for body-worn cameras on police officers, which Independent Police Auditor LaDoris Cordell says will lessen citizen complaints and keep officers accountable for the way they conduct themselves in the field. That and more at this week’s Rules and Open Government Committee meeting.