New Peachtree City Police Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark will ask the City Council Thursday night to OK a $13,000 donation to start a two-dog, two-handler K-9 unit.

Clark said in a memo to the council that Panasonic Corp. — which has a large plant here — is offering the seed money to go toward an estimated $36,000 start-up cost for two trained drug-sniffing dogs, two police handlers, kennels and gear to equip patrol vehicles to carry the dogs.

“K-9 programs are ... an extremely effective tool,” Clark wrote. “Not only are they useful in our fight against illegal narcotics, but they are also highly effective in apprehending criminals and deterring crime by their mere presence.”

Clark said the availability of trained dogs in the city could make the difference in search and rescue operations. “One of these incidents involved very young children lost for several hours in a swampy area.”

They were found after a large search, but if the children had become lost during the winter months, “it could have turned into a life-or-death situation very quickly,” Clark wrote.

“The police department intends to solicit donations for the initial costs and cover ongoing costs through donations and the department operating budget,” Clark wrote to the council.

The council meets at 7 p.m. this Thursday at City Hall in Peachtree City.