§ 20. Charges against city officers. Whenever it is provided herein,
or otherwise by law, that an officer of the city shall hold office
during good behavior or shall be removed only upon charges, such charges
shall be for disability for service or neglect or dereliction of
official duty or incompetency or incapacity to perform his official
duties or some delinquency materially affecting his general character or
fitness for the office, unless otherwise specifically provided by law.
Where the charges are for disability for service, the examination shall
be one of inquiry only and the decision made in a proper case, may be
for honorable discharge from service. In all other cases the examination
shall be a trial, conducted under such reasonable rules and regulations
as shall be prescribed by the officer, officers, board or body before
whom the trial is held. Whenever an elective city officer shall be or
become permanently disabled, or permanently incapacitated and is thereby
rendered incapable of performing his official duties during the
remainder of his term of office, such officer may be removed upon
charges and after hearing, in the same manner as is provided herein or
otherwise by law, for the removal of appointive officers of the city.