Important services
These services should be placed regularly and near main spots of the city, thanks to that their efficiency and reach will increase.
Safety
Police and Fire department buildings ensure safety. You should place them near each other, as their reach is similar and they serve similar purpose - they provide order.
If you won't provide fire safety to your city, after a short amount of time some buildings will change into ruins. Ruins can be demolished as they make neighborhood uglier, but it is better to build fire houses. Each has six vehicles, which in most cases is enough.
Police catches criminals, which greatly increase ground value around buildings. Most crimes are conducted in trading and office districts, but you will need to build large police HQ rarely.
Healthcare
Healthcare not only means protection from diseases, but removing corpses of deceased citizens as well.
Medical clinics and hospitals are very important, but you shouldn't build too much of them as they are very expensive in maintaining. But they do provide healthcare and increase ground value around them.
Gravediggers take care of removing corpses, but cemeteries become full after a while. When that happens, it is a good idea to build crematory, which will allow bidding farewell in a humanitarian way.