A couple of citizens groups asked Gov. Schwarzenegger on Friday to investigate whether the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians is in violation of its state gambling agreement.

The organizations said recent criminal activity on the reservation has placed gamblers, law enforcement and the community in danger.

The groups said that activity puts the tribe in violation of its state gambling agreement -- known as a compact.

Stand Up for California!, a statewide gambling watchdog group, and a San Jacinto-area citizens group called Save Our Communities sent the letter in response to a series of recent violent events involving tribal members, including two police shootings that left three tribal members dead.

The tribe has said repeatedly that its casino is safe and the violence has been confined to the residential portion of the reservation.

Soboba Casino managers had employees send letters recently to federal gambling regulators asserting they felt safe and believed the casino was "well-insulated from other activities on the reservation."

Tribal Chairman Robert Salgado did not return a phone message. A public-relations consultant did not immediately have a response from the tribe Friday afternoon.

The groups called on the governor to meet with the tribe and, if tribal officials don't resolve the safety problems, to terminate the agreement.

Under the terms of the tribe's 1999 compact, the governor's office has the power, although rarely used, to call the tribe in to meet about potential compact violations.

If the governor were to terminate the agreement, the tribe couldn't legally operate its Las Vegas-style casino.

Gov. Schwarzenegger's office confirmed Friday he had received the letter, and "we plan to review it," said spokeswoman Camille Anderson.

The organizations enumerated recent violent events involving Soboba tribal members in its letter to the governor.

"Whether or not the recent gun battles have taken place in the casino itself does not dismiss the responsibility of the state to act to protect the public," they wrote.

Reach Michelle DeArmond at 951-368-9441 or mdearmond@PE.com