Any municipality may adopt an ordinance establishing a civil service system for its municipal employees, law enforcement officers, and firefighters, which provides for:

1. (1) The appointment of a civil service board, prescribing its powers, duties and compensation; and
2. (2) The suspension or removal of any employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter for cause. The decision to suspend or remove any employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter is subject to review at a hearing of the civil service board, if requested by the suspended or removed employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter. At the hearing, the employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter is entitled to be present in person or by counsel. The civil service board may affirm, modify, or reverse the suspension or removal. Any final order of the civil service board may be appealed to the circuit court pursuant to chapter 1-26. The ordinance establishing a civil service system may not be repealed or modified so as to affect the standing of any employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter, except pursuant to the negotiation process provided for in chapter 3-18. The ordinance establishing a civil service system may be repealed only by an initiated ordinance. An employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter represented by a labor or employee organization, authorized by chapter 3-18, may not request the civil service board to review any suspension or removal, unless the labor contract covering the employee, law enforcement officer, or firefighter specifically provides for review.

Source: SL 1937, ch 178 ; SDC 1939, § 45.0201 (103); SL 1945, ch 197 ; SL 1982, ch 72 , § 1; SL 1986, ch 68 ; SL 2026, ch 33 , § 12.