Commissioner
Jim Cooper
Sheriff, Sacramento County Sheriff's Office
Biography
In June 2022, Sheriff Jim Cooper was elected to become Sacramento County’s 37th Sheriff. Before being elected as Sheriff, in November 2014, Sheriff Cooper was elected to the California State Assembly to represent Assembly District 9, which includes the cities of Sacramento, Elk Gove, Galt, and Lodi. On his first day in office, Sheriff Cooper was appointed to serve on a leadership team as Assistant Majority Whip and later appointed Assistant Majority Leader. Sheriff Cooper served as Chair of the Public Employees Retirement and Social Security Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Community Law Enforcement Relations and Responsibilities. Sheriff Cooper also served on several committees, Governmental Organization Committee, Insurance Committee, and Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration. While in the Assembly, Sheriff Cooper was appointed as the California Peace Office Memorial Legislative liaison.
During Sheriff Cooper’s tenure in the Assembly, he was appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly to serve on the California Crime Victims’ Memorial Review Committee. The Committee oversees the design, construction, and maintenance of a memorial in Capitol Park to honor California residents who are victims of crime. Additionally, Sheriff Cooper was appointed to serve on the Public Safety committee of the Council of State Government (CSG-WEST).
Sheriff Cooper has an extensive background in law enforcement and local government. Before joining the Assembly in 2014, Sheriff Cooper served as a Captain in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for 30 years and spent 15 years as Elk Grove’s founding mayor and councilmember. He established solid governing values, balanced the city’s budget, and built a city from the ground up.
Sheriff Cooper has earned numerous awards, including the Bronze Star for Bravery for actions during the 1991 “Good Guys” hostage crisis. He also spent four years working as the Department’s spokesperson and nearly a decade as an undercover narcotics officer and gang detective.
Community service is a significant part of Sheriff Cooper’s life. He has served on the Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Wind Youth Services, and the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home boards.
Sheriff Cooper grew up in Sacramento and where he raised his four daughters. He is a graduate of the West Point Leadership Academy and FBI National Academy. He earned a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Saint Mary’s College.