Ernst Leche

Ernst Henrik Leche (23 July 1897 – 3 April 1978) was a Swedish jurist and a district judge. He is credited with the establishment of the General Security Service (Allmänna säkerhetstjänsten), the predecessor of the Swedish Security Service.

Early life Leche was born on 23 July 1897 in Karlskrona, the son of Commander Carl Leche and his wife Elisabeth (née Swanlund) and brother of Colonel Hakon Leche. He passed studentexamen in 1915 and became a reserve officer in 1917 and received a Candidate of Law degree in Stockholm in 1920.

Leche became a captain in the Norrbotten Artillery Corps' (A 5) reserve in 1940. He was expert for law-making of the courthouse construction obligation (tingshusbyggnadsskyldigheten) and was chairman of the committee for the reorganization of the fortification police in Boden in 1941. Leche was chairman of the committee for the investigation of the police officer's right to use force in 1942 and member of Procedural Board (Processnämnden) from 1946 to 1948. He was legal counsel of the Chief of the Army from 1938 to 1939,

Awards and decorations Commander of the Order of the Polar Star Knight of the Order of Vasa Commander of the Order of the Three Stars Illis Quorum, 8th size (1968)