WASHINGTON - District of Columbia Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey asked the D.C. Council on Monday to clarify drunken driving legislation passed last week.

Police will continue to exercise discretion when deciding whether arrest people on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, Ramsey said. But he wants to know how to handle people who are suspected of being impaired by other substances.

"The issue is impairment, and impairment occurs in different people at different points in time," said Ramsey.

The chief insisted that police are not enforcing a "zero tolerance" policy on alcohol consumption by motorists, but are fulfilling their obligation to keep the city's streets safe.

Ramsey's comments came following a hearing called by Councilwoman Carol Schwartz, R-At Large, as the first step toward making permanent changes in the district's drunken driving laws. Last Tuesday, the council approved emergency legislation that prohibits police from arresting motorists on DUI charges without other cause unless their blood-alcohol level is above .08.

"It appears as though anyone with a blood-alcohol level that's less than .08 is free to drive unless they're just falling down drunk," Ramsey said.

Under the bill, which passed by a vote of 9-3, anyone with a blood-alcohol level under .05 is not presumed to be under the influence. Those with a blood-alcohol level between .05 and .08 are presumed to be neither drunk nor sober.

Officials from AAA Mid-Atlantic, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program and Mothers Against Drunk Driving spoke in favor of the change, citing its uniformity with standards in Virginia, Maryland and other states.

The emergency measure would be in effect for 225 days, and would likely survive a veto by Mayor Anthony A. Williams, who said last week that ten people have been killed in the past two years in alcohol-related crashes involving drivers with blood-alcohol levels below .08.

Members of council were concerned that publicity surrounding the arrests of motorists with very low blood-alcohol levels could hurt business at clubs and restaurants. According to an official from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, some patrons have said they would not entertain in the district until the issue was resolved.

"Our hospitality industry supports our budget in a big way, we can't afford for that to dry up," said Schwartz.

The councilwoman encouraged Ramsey and D.C. Attorney General Robert J. Spagnoletti to work with the council to strengthen the city's laws against impaired driving.

"We're open for business. I never said we're open for drunk drivers," said Schwartz.

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