Former officer Zach receives bravery medal from King Charles at Buckingham Palace

An heroic former Devon and Cornwall Police officer who confronted the gunman during the shootings in Keyham, Plymouth, in August 2021 has received a bravery award from King Charles.

Zach Printer was named on the monarch’s first Civilian Gallantry List and was decorated with the honour at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 11 December.

Zach was joined by his proud family and described being awarded The King's Gallantry Medal as an ‘awesome’ and ‘very humbling’ experience.  

The Investiture ceremony saw King Charles speak with Zach, his wife and three grown-up sons.  

Former Royal Marine Zach, aged 64, who lives in Plymouth, said: “It went very well and was an awesome experience. It was very humbling and a memorable day for my family. I’m immensely proud to have been part of it.

“I felt extremely honoured to have been presented the KGM by the King.

“The interest the King took in you as a person and in your family was really impressive.

“I explained to the King the role that colleagues and other first-responders played on that day and I was thinking of them.”

Zach served as a Police Constable in Devon and Cornwall for seventeen-and-a-half years during which he worked as a response officer, firearms officer and roads policing officer. 

He retired from frontline duties in February 2022 and now works as a Police Enquiry Officer at Crownhill Police Station.

Zach was on-duty unarmed with the Force’s Roads Policing Team when he self-deployed to the incident in Keyham on 12 August 2021. 

The King's Gallantry Medal is awarded to civilians for acts of exemplary bravery.

Zach first learned in March this year that a recommendation had been put forward by the George Cross Committee.

The Cabinet Office’s commendation stated: “PC Printer’s selfless and brave actions confronting the assailant prevented further harm to members of the public.”