Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical absorption studies were carried out at room temperature on copper doped mixed alkali cadmium phosphate (LiNaCdP) glasses to understand the nature and symmetry of dopant. Three samples with varying concentrations of alkali ions have been prepared. The spin Hamiltonian parameters obtained from room temperature EPR spectra are: g||=2.437, g⊥=2.096, A||=117×10-4 cm-1, A⊥=26×10-4 cm-1 for LiNaCdP1, g||=2.441, g⊥=2.088, A||=121×10-4 cm-1, A⊥=25×10-4 cm-1 for LiNaCdP2 and g||=2.433, g⊥=2.096, A||=125×10-4 cm-1, A⊥=32×10-4 cm-1 for LiNaCdP3. These EPR results indicate that the dopant Cu2+ ion enters the glass matrix into a tetragonally elongated octahedral site. The bonding parameters evaluated by correlating optical and EPR data suggest that bonding between the central metal ion and ligands is partially covalent. The mixed alkali effect in cadmium phosphate glasses was reported.