Under the heading 'Sometimes you just gotta improvise' the image of Hooker drawing a "finger gun" and pointing it at the man on the ground has drawn a humorous response from around the globe.
Today Hooker revealed his right hand was on his real gun - a police-issue Glock - when the photo was taken.
The viral nature of the photo, and the finger-gun jokes still give him a laugh.
"It was in one split second when there's a photograph of you when your thumb should be on your knuckles rather than in the air."
"I think it really is quite funny."
He recalled the day of the arrest saying a wide cordon had been thrown across the North Shore suburb of Unsworth Heights during a siege involving an armed man in a house.
Taking potshots from the backyard, the gunman was eventually persuaded to give himself up.
Hooker said he was intent on keeping the man's focus on him, issuing instructions as he reached with his right hand for his concealed weapon.
Armed officers had their Bushmaster weapons trained on the man while police dogs waited nearby and the police helicopter hovered overhead.
"I wasn't going to escalate the situation. He had firearms in the house and had been using them in the backyard. When the photo was taken my hand was on my Glock.
"He followed instructions and it turned out really well."
A 25-year-old man was arrested and appeared in court facing a firearm charge.
The photograph was then posted on social news website Reddit viewed by millions of people across the world each day.
Today the texts were coming in thick and fast from fellow officers with their cake orders.
They were already badgering him for dates to expect the morning tea, as well as size and flavours they liked.
"Actually I'm thinking of baking one that they will dislike so they all hate it and don't ask again," he joked.
Hooker, who is still on frontline in the Waitemata Police District, says he gets grief whenever the photo resurfaces.
"Even my boss ribs me," said Hooker.
"You've got to have a sense of humour about it in this job."
