Except as otherwise provided in this section, municipal employees, law enforcement officers, and firefighters appointed under any civil service ordinance and not represented by any labor or employee organization authorized by chapter 3-18 may be removed only pursuant to the provisions of the ordinance. Nothing in this section restricts the Governor's authority, pursuant to § 3-17-3, to remove local law enforcement officers, including those appointed under any civil service ordinance. Officers and employees appointed by a city manager may be removed by the city manager.

Source: SDC 1939, § 45.1109; SL 1982, ch 72 , § 2; SL 1983, ch 57 ; SL 2026, ch 33 , § 13.