If you were suddenly confronted by a man wearing flip flops and holding a shotgun, you’d probably stop in your tracks. Not surprisingly, that’s what an alleged would-be burglar did last Wednesday morning.

Peter C. Vaillancourt saw someone trying to break into the Professional Firefighters Association hall across the street from his house. So he grabbed his shotgun, walked outside, and told the man, “Why don’t you sit down right there until the police get here.”

Vaillancourt never pointed his gun at the bad guy. He just displayed it, which, he said, was “intimidating enough.” It was a typical use of a firearm for self-defense or, more specifically, for the defense of others. The firefighters were thankful. But the union president was careful not to be too thankful.

“I would like to publicly thank him for his vigilance and his heroic effort. He has been a great neighbor,” Manchester firefighter and Local 856 President Ryan J. Cashin told this paper last week. Then he remembered his union buddies in the police department.

“That being said, the great city of Manchester should not have to rely on our neighbors for public safety,” he said. “Public safety is not arming our citizens with guns and garden hoses.”

Sure it is. The police can’t be everywhere, which is a fact exploited by thugs, punks and thieves all the time. The fact is that people do rely on each other for public safety, which is why an armed citizenry is a net public benefit.