Wichita ? Some people see them as friends of taxpayers. Others see them as enforcers of an unfair fee.

Either way, Sedgwick County Treasurer Jan Kennedy says the county’s Tag Enforcement Unit is earning its keep.

Created in 1990, the unit was formed to fight a problem officials say continues to cost Sedgwick County more than $1 million a year. They find people who illegally register their vehicles in another state.

Some people don’t realize they’re breaking a law when they register their vehicle elsewhere. Others do know what they’re doing — trying to avoid paying Kansas car taxes, which are among the nation’s highest.

Deputies Elton Bowman and Tiffany Morland spend their days in a cubicle in the 11th floor of the Sedgwick County Courthouse, scouring tips and public records. Sometimes they go out of the office, cruising apartment parking lots and jotting down out-of-state tags, or following up with people they’ve already warned.

“Some people get really mad at us,” Morland said.

Last year, the county collected $441,283 from people replacing out-of-state tags with Kansas plates.

It costs the county $175,000 a year to run the unit, which relies heavily on public input to nab would-be tax dodgers.

Some days, Sgt. Cliff Miller said, citizens provide deputies with five to 10 tips. Other days, they send none.

At times the tips are strong, and others they’re merely conjecture.

“We got one guy who kept bragging to his co-workers about how he was saving money registering out of state,” Morland said. “That makes people mad who are paying.”

If deputies conclude someone probably has an illegal tag, that person gets a warning letter. Some have a excuse, such as being in the military or in college, which are exceptions.

“You hear every story under the sun,” Bowman said. “Some people are from another state like Missouri and still think of themselves as a Missouri resident, even though they’ve lived here for years.”

About 85 percent don’t seem to realize what they’re doing is against the law, he said, while the other 15 percent know but just want to argue.

What matters, Bowman said, is that vehicles in Kansas for more than three months are registered in the state.

“All we’re trying to do is make sure people follow the law,” Bowman said.