Brad Pitt has stepped up on behalf of the firefighters who volunteer their heroic services near his Hollywood Hills mansion.

The noted actor fired off a letter to the Los Angeles Fire Department earlier this month denouncing the agency’s controversial new policy requiring all employees to cover up their tattoos while on duty.

Brad, who along with partner Angelina Jolie is a body ink aficionado, “thinks it’s ridiculous that these guys who risk their live for people have restrictions put upon them,” a Star Magazine insider says.

“He wanted to make sure the department heads knew that the people of L.A. don’t care about tattoos-they care about them doing their job well.”