Hollande lead the service at the Prefecture de Police in Paris on Tuesday in the presence of ministers, hundreds of police officers as well as the families of those who were killed.
A grim-faced president on Tuesday led a ceremony honouring the three police officers – Franck Brinsolaro, Ahmed Merabet and Clarissa Jean-Philippe – who were killed in last week's Islamist attacks.
Draped in the red, white and blue of France's flag, the coffins of three police officers killed during the attacks were carried at the solemn ceremony as uniformed colleagues lined a large square of the police headquarters in Paris.
Hollande laid the Legion d'honneur medal on coffins draped in the French flag as the grieving families looked on and the national anthem rang out at the Paris police headquarters.
"They died so that we could live in freedom," Hollande said during an emotional ceremony.
"They died carrying out their duty with courage, bravery, dignity. They died as police officers."
"I assure you that the whole of France shares your pain," he told the victims' mourning relatives.
#Hommage Cour de la préfecture de police pendant le discours du Président de la République pic.twitter.com/hJrauA2cQx
— Préfecture de police (@prefpolice) January 13, 2015
#Hommage Le Président remet à titre posthume les insignes de Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur aux policiers décédés. pic.twitter.com/Og2zHOX9yK
— Préfecture de police (@prefpolice) January 13, 2015