LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- Concern about possible violence over increased auto-registration fees has prompted several counties to hire off-duty police officers and armed security guards at many state Department of Motor Vehicles offices.

There's no doubt that there are a lot of angry car owners.

"I think it's crazy. It's ridiculous. I mean we're in a recession. I get Social Security. How am I supposed to be able to run my car to the doctor, to go get my groceries, to run my family around town?" asked Edward Sisneros.

He wondered why, if President Barack Obama's stimulus money was supposed to go to repair roads and bridges, the state needed to increase fees for roads and bridges.

"Where's all that money going? I think it's the governor, the government. They don't care. They get a check every month," Sisneros said. "It's really really hard. Really hard. I'm still waiting on my income taxes because I am out of money."

The new auto registration and late fees were authorized under a new law signed in March by Gov. Bill Ritter. Money raised by the fees will be used for transportation.

The auto registration fee increase is an average $32 a vehicle the first year, but the late fee ranges from $25 to $100. This new late fee replaces a $10 late registration fee that some counties didn't really enforce. Now, they have less discretion.

"It's mandatory. We don't have a choice," said Jefferson County clerk and recorder Pam Anderson. "We understand the state budget is tight, but family budgets are tight as well."

Jefferson County is spending $25,000 a month for the extra security at Motor Vehicle offices in Arvada, Lakewood and southeast Jefferson County. Jefferson County hires off-duty officers, who come dressed in full uniform. Anderson said the county will use late fees to pay for the beefed-up security.

Douglas County hires armed guards from third-party security companies at its Castle Rock office. In August, it will add guards in Highlands Ranch and Parker. It too will use late fee fines to pay for extra security.

"Because we handle cash in Parker and Highlands Ranch, we've talked about guards for quite some time. This was the tipping point," said Douglas County clerk and recorder Jack Arrowsmith. "Obviously when people's fees increase, they have strong emotions about it."

An armed security guard working at the Castle Rock office said the workers at the desk are really good at disarming tense situations so he hasn't had to "get tough" with anybody.

"A lot of times, when I'm called in, just my presence deters anything else," said guard Frank Lujan.

"We're responsible for collecting the fees. We were not responsible for instituting the fees," said Arrowsmith.

The clerks also go through training on how to deal with someone who is upset.

Arrowsmith said emotions are high.

"It's certainly situations that we haven't handled before," Arrowsmith said. "We are in difficult economic times. So, this is just one more thing that people need to figure out how to budget for."

Arrowsmith said since DMV offices don't take credit cards, the offices handle a large amount of cash so they've always considered hiring security. The recent rage expressed by drivers over the increased fees "just tipped the weight," he said.

Clerks understand the frustration. A Jefferson county clerk explained how one woman had a trailer sitting in her yard for four years and she just happened to need it this year. When she came in to the office to renew her plates, the state charged her late fees for the four years she didn't use it because of the way the new law is written.

So far, the state has collected nearly $3 million in late fees since the bill went into effect. However, county clerks say the frustration shows no signs of easing.

Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson said the increased security went into effect on June 1, the day mandatory late-registration fees began being charged.