We often find reasons to complain about city services. We often find ways public servants have fallen short on their jobs and fallen short of our expectations and the services they provide.

Nothing could be farther from reality than those public servants who risked their lives to protect a portion of our community Saturday, when every rational thought told them to do otherwise. For the better part of Saturday evening, individuals hell bent on shooting someone and destroying property waged a battle of sorts in the Landsend Avenue area of the Selmont community.

On more than one occasion, Selma Police officers responded to civil disturbance calls, calls of shots fired and even calls of intentionally set fires in this area. And, in some of those cases, members of the Selma Fire Department and Craig Field Volunteer Fire Department joined them to help save property that had become the target of cowards and villains.

In the end, the cowards, gangsters and villains — whoever was responsible — won the day as a home at 202 Landsend Ave. was torched, destroyed and laid waste. And, as far as we know, neighbors don’t know who was responsible, don’t know who fired shots and who set the fire. Amazing.

Today we thank the public servants, public employees and volunteers who risked their lives in an attempt to save lives, settle disputes and protect property. Thankfully, they were able to save lives, but little else. It is their efforts, their commitment to protect and serve, that we saw in clear action Saturday and for that we offer our deepest, heartfelt appreciation.