Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency, will strengthen its intelligence-gathering machinery in fighting crime this year.

According to its Chairman, Israel Ajao, Intelligence gathering is the foremost responsibility of any security agency. Information gathering is a process to produce intelligence.

Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, without information gathering, the police will not be able to function effectively, saying intelligence gathering is paramount and this is why the corps recruitment is grassroot-oriented.

According to Ajao, the Corps recruits from all the local government areas in Lagos where the officers reside and work, saying this makes it easy to fulfill the mandate which is to complement the effort of the police and other security agencies.

He said they bridged the gap between the police and the people, saying the Corps uses effective intellligence gathering in tracking and arresting criminals.

In his word, the corps exchanged ideas and information with the state police command which they immediately use in nipping crimes in the bud; saying their collaboration with the police was strong.

Ajao, maintained that the corps working partnership with other security agencies was waxing stronger, resulting in tracing the Badoo cult shrines in Ikorodu area.

The retired top cop said the concept of community policing is synonymous with proactive policing which was complemented by community participation in nipping crimes in the bud.