All officers shall be liable to the city for all loss or damage which may arise from their negligence or willful misconduct in the discharge of any official duty, and the City Council may, by order, withhold the salary of any such officer, in order to secure the city from loss. And if any officer shall fail, neglect or refuse to discharge or perform any duty required of him, the head of the department may employ or appoint some competent person to perform such duty and the costs and expenses of doing the same shall be charged to such officer and deducted from his salary or if his salary shall be insufficient to pay the same, they may be collected from him and recovered by suit in the name of the city, before any court of competent jurisdictions.
('68 Code, § 2.33)