Whenever any officer shall resign or be removed from office, or the term for which he or she shall have been elected or appointed shall expire, he or she shall deliver to his or her successor in office, or to the City Clerk, all the books, papers, money and effects in his or her custody as such officer, which in any way appertain to his or her office. Every person willfully violating this provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and may be proceeded against in the same manner as are public officers generally for like offenses under the general laws of this State, now or hereafter in force and applicable thereto. Every officer, whether elected or appointed, shall be deemed to be an officer within the meaning of the provisions of said general laws of the State,