Police Give Explanation For Firing As Lieutenant Fights For His Job

A Palm Springs police lieutenant who was fired from his job in April listened on Monday morning as his former bosses detailed why he let go.

Abraham Tokier, 50, a high-profile member of the Palm Springs Police Department for 20 years, had been accused of assaulting and kidnapping his girlfriend in February when her family reported her missing to local police. Police said Tokier allegedly assaulted Foster in the 68800 block of Panorama Road in Cathedral City on Feb. 23.

Dawn Foster was found days later safe inside an recreational vehicle owned by Tokier that was parked at the Islander RV Resort in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., according to Cathedral City police.

At the time, Tokier was placed on paid administrative leave while Cathedral City police sorted out the events leading up to her disappearance from his home in that city.

Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall said prosecutors have not yet received an updated report back from Cathedral City police, and charges had not yet been filed against Tokier.

In a hearing designed to allow terminated Palm Springs city employees to appeal their firing, Capt. Dennis Graham told a panel on Monday morning that Tokier was supposed to stay within one hour of the police station under the terms of his leave. Graham said he had actually traveled 6 hours away with Foster to Lake Havasu in clear violation.

They also asked Tokier to make phone calls at noon to check in with his managers. Graham said Tokier did call on some occasions, but not at the specified times. On several occasions, he said, Tokier did not check in.

Graham also testified that Tokier did not bring in his police-issued equipment when they asked him to, nor did he check it in with the appropriate person.

As a result, the Palm Springs Police Department terminated him for insubordination, he said.

Tokier’s attorney alleged the investigation was a “scam,” and was full of inaccurate and misinformation.

He said the “orders” that Graham alluded to were not delivered as orders but talked about in various conversations.

His attorney also claimed there were tape-recorded telephone conversations between Graham and Tokier that happened without Tokier’s knowledge. He said Graham’s raw notes recordings were discarded, which according to state law must be saved.

The hearing ended on Monday before Tokier could testify. Becuase of a scheduling conflict, he won’t get his chance to do that until June 27.