James Cooper, otherwise known as "Cooper", is the main character for which the story of Redwood Pines surrounds. He is a 35 year old man who has lived in Redwood County for most of his life. Cooper joined the police force in his early 20s, and has since worked his way through the ranks to become the County Sheriff. His family is well known throughout the community as "The Coopers", and are generally well-respected. 

Cooper tragically lost his wife and highschool sweetheart, Abigail (Abby) under mysterious circumstances when they were in their  late-20s. Her death rattled the community, and broke Cooper's heart deeply. Cooper was left to raise their 12-year-old daughter, Annie, whilst he battled with his grief. As such, Cooper became withdrawn over the years and hyper-fixated on finding answers to his wife's death. Cooper now lives out his day to day as a workaholic, and spends the majority of his time at the police station working into the late hours of the night. His relationship with Annie over the years has become strained, as a result. 

Cooper is broody and dark, with a bleak outlook on life. He suffers from undiagnosed complex PTSD, and has night terrors and flash backs frequently, which impacts his sleep. He has aged terribly and as a result, looks much older than he really is. As such, he constantly looks tired with bags under his eyes daily. Cooper is tall and intimidating by nature with a deep monotone, flat voice, and remains very much an authoritative figure throughout the storyline. He is extremely protective over the ones he loves, and is not one to be messed with.