NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Many brokerages are fielding more document requests from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority--and using staffing problems as an excuse for not meeting deadlines, according to the regulator's enforcement head.

Finra has been opening more investigations because of Wall Street's downturn, which has led to more customer complaints and regulatory issues to review, said Susan Merrill, executive vice president and chief of enforcement, at a recent compliance event in New York. That has meant requesting more documents from brokerages.

Some firms, however, aren't fully cooperating, citing a lack of department resources, said Merrill.

The full story is available from the Wall Street Journal online.