'Together We Ball:' Milwaukee police, community build connections
'Together We Ball' with MPD
Milwaukee police and the Office of Community Wellness and Safety hosted an inaugural basketball event aimed at building connections.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Police Department and Office of Community Wellness and Safety on Saturday hosted an inaugural basketball event aimed at building connections between law enforcement and the community.
What they're saying:
"Together We Ball" was free to attend and a celebration of Black History Month. It featured a youth job fair, a basketball game, entertainment and more. It took place at the Milwaukee Police Academy on Teutonia Avenue.
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"It is important to me as well as our department to have those relationships with our community," said Marcey Patterson, MPD director of community engagement, "with the hope crime goes down."
By the numbers:
According to MPD, there have been 10 homicides so far in 2025 – a 33% drop compared to the same time last year. Other violent crimes – including rape, aggravated assault and non-fatal shootings – are also down at least 20% to date.
Of the crimes tracked on MPD's statistics dashboard, only human trafficking offenses have increased thus far compared to last year. Six have been reported in 2025, compared to four at this point in 2024.
Editor's note: MPD crime data is through Thursday, Feb. 20 – the most recent available.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee Police Department, Office of Community Wellness and Safety and FOX6 News interviews.