POST FALLS - The Post Falls Police Department is investigating the appropriateness of the "Historic Horse Racing" machines at the Greyhound Park and Event Center.

Police Chief Scot Haug said the Kootenai County prosecutor received a complaint in October saying the "slot-like" machines were illegal gambling machines and asked the local police department to look into it.

"The goal of this investigation is not to seek charges against anyone," he said. "The goal is to determine the appropriateness of the machines."

Haug said a detective has been assigned to the case and is working with the state racing commission to educate himself on what the machines are capable of and how they operate.

When the investigation is concluded, the detective will send a recommendation to the Idaho attorney general on how to proceed.

"I would imagine, if they are found to be inappropriate, that we would give them some to time to remove the machines," Haug said.

At issue are 35 machines that have been installed at the simulcast racing facility.

Earlier this month, four Idaho Indian tribes sent a letter to Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and State Attorney General Lawrence Wasden asking them "to end the proliferation of instant racing machines around Idaho, presented to lawmakers as 'historical horse racing,' because it is illegal under Idaho law."

Doug Okuniewicz, general manager of the Greyhound Park in Post Falls, said he is confident the investigation will find that the machines are, in fact, legal.

Okuniewicz said the state has passed a law specifically allowing historic horse racing machines, and each of the machines on his property have a stamp on them saying they are approved by Idaho's Racing Commission, which is a division of the Idaho State Police.

"The Coeur d'Alene Tribe lodged a complaint and now the local police are obligated to look into it," he said, adding it's no different than a neighbor filing a complaint about barking dogs. "Police are obligated to look into it."

Heather Keen, a spokesperson for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, said it didn't file the complaint.

"We haven't taken any formal legal action," she said Monday. "Other than send the letter to the governor, we have done nothing official."

Later this week, the House Rules Committee is expected to hold a hearing on Historic Horse Racing, but Okuniewicz said he doesn't expect the Legislature to address the legality of the machines.

"It's my understanding that this hearing has to do with limiting the number of actual locations that can have the machines," he said.

Helo Hancock, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's legislative director, said the rules that will be discussed don't necessarily limit the number of facilities, just clarifies what is required to operate the machines.

"The rule says in order to put in a machine, you have to have held a simulcast license for 12 months," Hancock said. "This doesn't address the real issue; it is just monkeying around with the rules.

"So, basically you just have to wait 12 months to open a casino."

In the meantime, Haug said his detective will continue to educate himself to determine the appropriateness of the machines, and he hopes to finish things soon.

"The people at the Greyhound Park are cooperating with the investigation," he added.