Ottawa police crack down on window smashers

CTV Ottawa: Busted windows costly to police CTV's John Hua with the simple solution to keep crooks from kicking out windows.

Getting an aggressive person in the back of a police vehicle is just the beginning.

Last year, Ottawa police faced 151 incidents where people under arrest damaged the cruiser doors or windows from the back seat. Repairing the damage sometimes costs thousands of dollars.

Now, officers will be equipped with a $14 dollar piece of equipment to prevent that from happening. It’s called a Temporary Restraint Device or T.R.D.

The specifically designed strap goes around the suspect’s ankles or knees and is then tethered to the floor of the police vehicle.

Ottawa police say every officer on the street will be equipped with the device.