SEATTLE -- The Seattle Police Department will have more officers in neighborhoods in downtown Seattle starting April 1.

The plan is to have some officers who are on bicycle patrols to change to foot patrols around Belltown, Pioneer Square and the International District, said Interim police Chief John Diaz.

“It is my hope to make our police officers more accessible to citizens, businesses and the public at large,” Diaz said.

Diaz said it’s a pilot program and that if there is positive feedback then bicycle patrols in other areas of the city would be changed to foot patrols.

Part of the reason for the change is that crime in the downtown area is up 22-percent from 2008-2009, said KIRO 7 Eyewitness reporter Essex Porter.

Another reason is so police will be ready if the City Council decides to pass an aggressive panhandling ordinance in a few weeks.

Diaz said if it passes, every Seattle police officer will be trained on the ordinance before they will be allowed to enforce it. He also said that aggressive panhandlers will be given a grace period of warnings before tickets are issued.

“I think if we do it correctly, we will rarely enforce this because we'll be able to educate individuals on what they can and cannot do,” Diaz said.

Diaz also proposed that City Council review the effectiveness of the ordinance after one year.