No member who shall have served honorably in any such police or fire department for a period of twenty-five years and attained age fifty-five shall be deprived of his pension privileges under this act because of any violation of the rules and regulations established for the government of such department, but he may be fined, reprimanded or discharged. A member of the department found guilty before a court of competent jurisdiction may be dismissed or punished in any manner provided by law.
N.J.S. § 43:16A-23