Thank you very much for the positive feedback following my first column. This week I took part in a live Facebook Q&A. It was great fun.

We will be doing it all again on Wednesday, April 8 from 6pm to 7pm, so get your thinking caps on and I will look forward to answering your questions. Just visit www.facebook.com/durhamconstabulary

Here are a selection of the questions, and my answers

Q) Ian Crock: “Evening Mike. “I think your officers do a great job despite the seemingly endless Government budget cuts. If you were allowed extra funding to improve one part of the force what would you improve and why?”

A) Mike Barton: “Hi Ian, I would probably buy more PCSOs and neighbourhood beat officers who could then patrol your area visibly. If there is one regret about austerity it's that we have had to let a lot of police civilian employees go and we have had to reduce the number of constables in the force by several hundred. If I really had carte blanche I'd probably have a police dog all to myself because I think they're ace - a black lab.”

Q) Eddy Castling: “How are you settling into the new Police HQ? I heard today your offices are open plan and you hot desk, is this an improvement?”

A) Mike Barton: “It's fantastic, great for morale, email traffic is down because - shock horror - people walk around the building and talk to each other instead - do you think it will catch on? When we formally open the building (hopefully by a member of the Royal family) then we will hope to host members of the public who would like to see the building - you are hereby cordially invited.”

Q) Chay Aaron Stevenson-Stahl: “Lovely wall colour.”

A) Mike Barton: “Matches my eyes Chay. Especially after a night out. We asked the staff to choose the colour palette for the new building and I think they choose wisely.”

Q) Mick Ranson: “Must have nowt else better to do.”

A) Mike Barton: “Actually listening to the public and understanding in how to improve policing is something I do constantly. I am a bit peckish mind and I hope to be home tonight shortly after ten.”

Q) Richard Tricky: “Look at the word clouds on the wall the word running up the left hand side? Mischievous? ??!!?? I'd that like throwing eggs into Cleveland patch or letting the police dogs do a poo on Northumberland turf?”

A) Mike Barton: “Those are word clouds of me on a good day and me on a bad day as judged by my senior colleagues. I'm sure they would agree that I am sometimes playful and mischievous - but I do assure you it is to ensure that the public are safe but we should have fun in the workplace especially when it is sometimes so incredibly stressful.”