Systems (100) and methods (600-800) for adaptively controlling a transmitter field in an Electronic Article Surveillance ("EAS") detection system. The methods comprise: detecting, by at least one first proximity sensor (108a, 108b), a presence of a first person located in proximity to a pedestal (102a, 102b) of the EAS detection system; determining a first distance from the first proximity sensor to the first person; and using the first distance to adaptively control the transmitter field of the EAS detection system.