Diane Krenz grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm close to the Minnesota border, which her family often crossed for shopping and to attend the Minnesota State Fair. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Krenz worked in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for more than 40 years. She started as a law clerk in 1983 under then-county attorney Mike Freeman, and was hired by Freeman as a full-time attorney in 1986 to prosecute juvenile crime. She was moved to adult prosecutions five years later, where she worked for another 10 years before moving onto gang cases.
Krenz started working on property cases in 2007, including burglary and theft, while specializing in repeat offenders who had dozens of prior felonies. A decade later, she transitioned to the office’s white collar crimes division, which included large-scale embezzlements and fraud involving taxes, insurance and public benefits.
Krenz left the office in April 2025 and briefly worked as an independent contractor helping local officials in parts of the state that lack resources to prosecute large financial crimes. Despite retiring earlier this year, Krenz told Sahan Journal she decided to run for county attorney to ensure that the office is properly listening to victims and collaborating with law enforcement to attain justice.
Sahan Journal asked the county attorney candidates several questions about why they’re running for the office, and their priorities for the post. Read Krenz’s responses in her own words below.
Why are you running for Hennepin County attorney?
I'm running to refocus the office on its core missions. While the criminal justice system always needs to be made better, the current administration has taken reform beyond what makes sense. As a 40 year career Hennepin County prosecutor, I've seen what works and what doesn't. The office is going in the wrong direction and I believe I am in the best position to return the office to increasing public safety and seeing justice done.
What are your priorities for the county attorney's office?
Prosecute violent and repeat offenders, imposing proper Sentencing Guideline sentences when appropriate. Re-establish working relationships with all law enforcement agencies. Make certain that victims of criminal cases have the information and input required under M.S. Stat. 611A, which will revitalize the office's victim/witness division. Establish a community engagement team that actually works with the community.
What do you plan to do differently from your predecessor?
I will change all the current county attorney's policies as most of them undermine the mission of the office.
What racial and socio-economic disparities in the criminal justice system have you identified, and how will you address them as county attorney?
I have seen that a disproportionate number of violent crime victims are racial minorities. It would not be just or fair to ignore that issue. Victims of color should get the same treatment as any other victim. Taking the race of the offender into consideration when charging or resolving cases would be patently unfair to any minority victims. I would require a color blind neutral evaluation of all cases, just as was done during the years while I was in the office.
How can the office change practices in civil court matters to improve services to the public and address disparities?
It's unclear to me to what this is referring. Do you mean in child protection cases? Child support cases? Mental health commitment cases? If you mean those, I don't see a problem with how the system is working.