Complaints, investigational records, reports, and investigational files of any kind of the department shall not be public record, shall not be subject to subpoena or discovery, and shall be inadmissible in evidence in any legal proceeding of any kind or character except an informal conference or formal hearing before the department. Such complaints, investigational records, reports, and investigational files shall be a public record if made part of the record of a formal hearing before the department. No person, including, but not limited to, department employees, having access to complaints, investigational records, reports, or investigational files, shall disclose such records or information except as required for investigation of the alleged violation or for purposes of a hearing before the department. Such information, files, and records may be disclosed to other law enforcement agencies by the department, and such disclosure shall not make the information, files, or records public records.